When comparing Cry Havoc vs A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition), the Slant community recommends A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) for most people. In the question“What are the best boardgames with area-control mechanics?” A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) is ranked 1st while Cry Havoc is ranked 2nd. The most important reason people chose A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) is:
Like Risk, but with more planned strategy in stead of luck by throwing dice. Tactics are planned out ahead of time (instead of turn by turn in Risk) and then they are laid out turn by turn depending on placement.
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Pros
Pro Very good component quality
The cardboard pieces are thick and punch out of the punchboard very easily, the cards are well-made and durable, and the minis, while not the best out there, are quite detailed and very solidly made.
Pro Asymmetric player abilities help keep the game fresh
Each of the 4 races in Cry Havoc (Human, Machine, Pilgrim, and Trog) have entirely different abilities and bonuses which help them feel unique and gives the player a different experience each time they decide to try a new race.
Pro Excellent game design
Like Risk, but with more planned strategy in stead of luck by throwing dice. Tactics are planned out ahead of time (instead of turn by turn in Risk) and then they are laid out turn by turn depending on placement.
Pro Nerve-racking
The game is extremely intense. Shouldn't be played on an empty stomach!
Pro Good replayability
Every time it is different, more or less players matters a lot in the gameplay which effects how the game plays each time.
Cons
Con Different race abilities mean experienced players have a signifcant advantage
Since each race plays so differently, any player who has experience with how best to use their race will be at a significant advantage over someone who is just starting out and doesn't fully understand the game's nuances.
Con Takes a long time to learn and play
The gameplay is very deep and interesting, but it involves a lot of mechanics and rules. You only have a certain amount of action tokens, and you can't always use the more powerful actions (you need to be a certain rank on the track), and there's a bunch of other things you need to think about constantly. There are tons of little mechanics you need to learn first before you can actually enjoy the game (and that will probably take a playthrough or 2, which is about 5 hours...especially if you're reading the rulebook).
Con Flares can be fustrating
As one of your action tokens, you can use a flare, which interrupts another action token of an opposing player. While useful, they do nothing besides slow down the game (for example, if the Lannisters keep flaring the Greyjoy's ships then they're stuck where they are and the Greyjoys can't do anything about it, essentially rendering them useless).